NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Beijing Olympics silver medalist Janeth Jepkosgei
was back in training after a two-year absence and said she’d be
in contention for the World Championship in Doha, Qatar in 2019.
The 800m sensation has not competed in any event since 2016.

Injury and a long
maternity leave took the wind out of Jepkosgei’s sails, but the
35-year-old believes she will be stronger when the new athletics
season starts in January.

“I’m in training and
my form is back. However, I have no competition now because we
are in recess. But watch out for next year. I want to return to
the top,” she said on Tuesday in Eldoret.

Jepkosgei, however,
will not be returning to her traditional 800m domain, but will
be going up a distance to either the 1,500m or the 5,000m. “I
will discuss that with the coach and see which is best for me.
But it will not be in the 800m distance. The World Championships
in Doha will be an ideal place for me to compete,” she said.

In her absence,
Kenya has seen several younger athletes emerge to take up the
baton from the former World champion including her training
partner Eunice Sum, Winny Chebet and the retired Pamela Jelimo.

Jepkosgei has been
steadfast in the fight against doping and says cheats have no
place in the sport. However, she wants Athletics Kenya and
Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) to increase their efforts to
reach more young runners who are being taken advantage of in
terms of doping.

At the same time,
Jepkosgei believes more talent will be found if Kenya was to
stage its trials and national championships for major
competitions away from Nairobi. Athletics Kenya has said it will
stage the World Cross Country trials in Eldoret in February.

.

EARLIER
REPORT:

Africa javelin
champ Yego to pitch training camp in South Africa

NAIROBI (Xinhua) --Olympic javelin silver medalist Julius Yego of
Kenya says he will camp in South Africa for training in January
as he starts early preparations ahead of the 2019 World
Championships.

Yego gave the throws
competition a new impetus, especially for young African
athletes, when he emerged from obscurity to clinch the world
title at the 2015 Beijing World Championships.

However, loss of
form and a career threatening groin injury have punctured the
allure of invincibility the Africa javelin champion enjoyed.

Speaking to
reporters in Nairobi, Yego says he is back in training as he
seeks to return to fitness and will go down south for an
intensive preparations ahead of the 2019 season.

“I want to have a
major impact in the Diamond League, which starts in Doha (Qatar)
in May. I will head to South Africa early next year where I have
been invited for some competitions and training camp,” said Yego,
Wednesday in Nairobi.

Ever since his world
lead throw of 92.72 meters in Beijing three years ago, Yego has
struggled to reclaim his fitness.

He was injured at
the Rio Olympics after two throws, which was enough to secure
him the silver medal.

But since then it
has been a downhill trajectory for the 28-year-old until last
August when he returned to the winner’s podium to clinch gold at
the Africa Championships in Nigeria, his third in as many
attempts.

“Injury is every
athlete’s nightmare and mine came when I was at the top of my
game and left me confused. I had groin injury in Rio that
affected my performance. I have tried to restore my body, but I
have not been successful to go back to my peak. That is why I
failed to defend my title in London last year. But I have
started afresh and hopefully, with long preparations, I will do
well in Doha next year,” he added.

Last season his best
throw was 80.91 meters during the Kenyan trials for the Africa
Championships.

“The sport today is
very competitive and to excel you must throw over the 90 meters
mark to challenge the Germans. That is my target. My focus is to
throw over 90 meters and peak at the World Championships in
Doha. If I can hot the 90 meters in January, then I will be able
to plan accordingly for the season,” he said.